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Class 3A No. 4 Glenn outlasts Culver in 9

WALKERTON — Culver Community battled nine innings with Class 3A, No. 4-ranked John Glenn Wednesday night.
In the end, it was an unearned run that did the Cavs in.
Mark Einhorn reached on an error in the bottom of the ninth, and Culver pitcher Kyle Vlach intentionally walked Justin Gierlowski, bringing up David Jaworski, who took a full count offering from Vlach up the middle to score Einhorn for the 1-0 walk-off win at the Falcons’ home at The Nest in Walkerton.
“Give Glenn credit, they got the hit they needed when they had base runners, which we couldn’t,” said Culver head coach Mike Elliott. “Their pitcher had control going, keeping our hitters off-balance.”
“Hey, the center fielder made some great plays against us, and Vlach had us guessing all night at the plate,” said Glenn coach John Nadolny. “We got a lucky break in the ninth, and it’s a good thing we were the home team to end it. A big conference win, and we’ll take it after that battle. Mike does a good job at Culver, and this is a good defensive team we faced tonight.”
On a beautiful night for baseball, Vlach and Glenn starter Tyler Niespodziany entertained the crowd with a pitchers’ duel that lasted through eight innings.
Vlach finished with seven strikeouts while giving up three hits but had Glenn’s hitters popping up and lifting easy flies. The Falcons lineup, which was averaging 11 hits an outing coming into the game, finished with just three hits versus Vlach.
“Our pitching has been good this year as this is our fourth one-run game so far,” reflected Elliott after Wednesday’s tough loss. “We just need to keep battling, find our confidence when hitting, and hopefully the offense will come around.”
Niespodziany used his offspeed pitches to good effect, meanwhile, fanning 15 while surrendering one walk and just two hits in a complete nine-inning effort for his first win of the year.
“Our pitching was great tonight,” said Nadolny. “Tyler had by far his best game ever with his strikeout performance just two off the school record set by Andy Groves.”
Glenn improves to 9-2 overall with a 4-1 Northern State Conference mark bouncing back from a six-inning shellacking by Jimtown for the Falcons’ first league loss Monday.
Culver’s young squad slides to 1-8 with an 0-4 conference mark, meanwhile. It was the second extra-inning NSC loss this week for the Cavs, who fell 6-3 in 10 innings to Knox Monday.
“We lost a 10-inning game Monday and now this nine-inning one; all we can do is keep plugging away,” said Elliott. “We’re now 0-4 in the conference with no chance to win it, but our hitting comes around and we can spoil it for someone. Our ultimate goal is the sectional, and we as coaches must instill a positive winning mindset.”
• JOHN GLENN 1, CULVER COMMUNITY 0 (9 inn.)
At Walkerton
Culver: 000 000 000 — 0 2 1
Glenn: 000 000 001 — 1 3 0
Tyler Niespodziany (W, 1-1) and David Jaworski; Kyle Vlach (L, 1-4) and Collin Stevens.
Records: Glenn 9-2 (4-1 NSC), Culver 1-8 (0-4 NSC)